Pubdate: January 18, 1828
Source: 20th Congress, 1st Session. Doc. No. 68. House of Reps.
American water-rotted hemp, &c. &c. Reports from the Navy
Department, in relation to experiments on American water-rotted
hemp, when made into canvass, cables, and cordage
Author: John Rodgers
Pages: 3-5

NAVY COMMISSIONERS' OFFICE, 17th December, 1827

SIR: The Commissioners of the Navy duly received your letter
enclosing a resolution of the House of Representatives, of the
2d of March last, requiring a report of the result of any experiments
to ascertain the quality of American water-rotted hemp compared
with Russia hemp; and, in reply, they have the honor to state,
that all the experiments heretofore made of these different descriptions
of hemp, have uniformly tended to establish the opinion, that
the American hemp loses nothing in the comparison, whether we
refer to its strength or its durability, when made up into cordage.

Experiments have been made of these hemps in their hatchelled
state, before they were spun into yarns; and, in that state, the
American hemp was found to be the strongest; and, after being
made up into cordage, and tested on board of a ship under the
command of one of the present Commissioners, its strength and
durability were ascertained to be fully equal to cordage made
of the best Russia hemp, similarly exposed. If there be a difference
between the best American and the best Russia water-rotted hemp,
when brought to our market, the Commissioners would unhesitatingly
say it is in favor of the former. Admitting their staples, in
their original state, to be equally good, the Russia hemp is certainly
liable to greater injury from transportation; and that it does
sustain more or less injury in its transportation from Russia
to our ports, is believed to be an unquestionable fact.

At the instance of a gentleman from Pennsylvania, the Commissioners,
in the year 1824, agreed to purchase two tons of American water-rotted
hemp, with a view of having it made into cordage of various sizes,
and tested on board of one of our national ships with the best
Russia: under this agreement between 7 and 8 cwt. only was delivered.
This hemp was pronounced by competent judges to be fully equal
to the best Russia then in market, and the growers were accordingly
paid the full price of the latter for it. It was then made into
cordage and sent to Norfolk, to be used in the equipment of one
of our national ships; but before it arrived the ship had sailed.
A subsequent order was given to use it in reeving the main and
main-top, fore and fore-topsail braces of a ship on one side:
the other side of the ship to be fitted with cordage made of the
best Russia hemp; and the experiment is now in progress: of the
result no doubt is entertained by the Commissioners.

The Commissioners are sensible that, in the preceding remarks,
they are only reiterating the opinion heretofore frequently expressed
by them. They have never entertained a doubt of American water-rotted
hemp being equal to Russia, but the great difficulty has been
to procure a sufficient quantity of American water-rotted hemp
to answer the demands of the Navy. The habit of dew-rotting has
become so fixed, that it is apprehended a considerable time will
elapse before the American community can be persuaded to change
it, and resort to the preferable system of water-rotting; indeed,
a disposition has been manifested to experiment upon new theories,
rather than adopt the system successfully practised and confirmed
in other countries by long experience. Accordingly, we find that
attempts have been made to prepare the hemp, by suffering it to
remain twelve months in stack, and then exposing it to the action
of dews; by breaking it with a machine in its natural state, without
any previous rotting; by subjecting it to the operation of pyroligneous
acid, after being dew-rotted.

The Commissioners have, from time to time, received hemp prepared
in these various modes, and have directed experiments to be made
of it. The results of such experiments, although not called for
by the resolution, will not, it is presumed, be unacceptable,
since their tendency is to establish the opinion entertained as
to the properties of American hemp in its original state.

Cordage made of American hemp, stacked one year, and then dew-rotted,
was fitted on one side of the Frigate Constellation as main, main-top,
and fore-topsail braces, main clue-garnet, davits, and stern boat
falls. The other side of the ship, in corresponding situations,
was fitted with cordage of Russia hemp; and, after being thus
worn for nearly a year, it was found, on examination, that the
Russia rope, in every instance, after being much worn, looked
better, and wore more equally and evenly than the American; that
the yarns of the former were rather stronger, and the number of
broken yarns not so great as in the American. But, although it
thus appeared that the Russia rope was rather preferable, both
as to strength and durability, yet, in the opinion of the commander,
"the difference between them was not so great as to warrant
a declaration that the proof was conclusive in favor of the Russia;"
and he recommended further experiments as necessary to decide
the question.

Of the same cordage, after being worn nearly two years on board
the Constellation, her commander observes, "I have given
a fair trial to the Kentucky hemp for rigging. If there is any
preference, I would give it in favor of the Russia;" thus
making it almost a matter of doubt whether cordage made of American
hemp, stacked one year, and then exposed to dews, was not equal
to cordage made of Russia hemp, when used as rigging.